Following his Nov. 5 arrest on sexual assault charges involving a female acquaintance in her Whiteface Hall dorm room Nov. 1, Richard A. Smith now faces being charged with first degree sexual abuse, a felony, and forced imprisonment, a misdemeanor.
Smith’s next court date is Wednesday in City Court at 8:30 a.m., according to the Clinton County Sheriff’s Department.
The Penal Code classifies first degree sexual abuse as the most serious sexual abuse-related charge. If charged, a person can serve anywhere from five to 25 years in prison.
Smith was arrested after a female PSUC student reported to University Police that a male acquaintance entered her dorm room and sexually assaulted her.
After his arrest, he was arraigned in Plattsburgh City Court and taken to Clinton County Jail, where he later posted his $2,500 bail.
PSUC Executive Director for Marketing and Communications Ken Knelly said given the circumstances of his arrest, Smith is no longer a student at the college. However, because of regulations in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, Knelly could not discuss the specific actions that the PSUC administration took.
Email Maggie McVey at news@cardinalpointsonline.com.
